Yes, there will be times
when you reach for the moon
but are burnt by the stars,
Or when you get up to climb
but only fall further into the earth.
And for every person
who is just as deep in the darkness as you,
there is one on the surface
trying to pull you out.
There will be times
when you can’t catch your breath
and your lungs weep for precious release
but your body is submerged
again
and you know that no matter
how much you gasp and plead,
the water will not give way
to allow you a fresh breath.
Those are the exact times
that you should thank
both the water and the air,
because without the experience
of drowning,
we could never appreciate
the beauty of a crisp wind
on a heated summer afternoon.